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Sunday, December 22, 2024

'Fentanyl keeps coming': Colorado sees increase in overdoses after legalization of lethal drugs

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Across the U.S., almost 79,000 people died from fentanyl overdoses alone in 2020. | Pixabay/Donald Clark

Across the U.S., almost 79,000 people died from fentanyl overdoses alone in 2020. | Pixabay/Donald Clark

Ever since Colorado legalized lethal drugs, the state has seen an uptick in overdose cases for drugs including fentanyl.

American Greatness reports that in 2019, the state of Colorado legalized the possession of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and meth. According to the previous law, it was a felony to possess more than four milligrams of fentanyl. The new law changed the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor even though just two milligrams of fentanyl could kill a person.

"Fentanyl keeps coming," said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of Colorado State Patrol. "It is a poison that is continuously infecting, not only Colorado, but every community throughout this country." 

From Sept. 2020 to Sept. 2021, 1,825 Colorado residents died from a drug overdose which is an increase of roughly 350 deaths compared to the previous year, according to American Greatness. In the United States, over 100,000 people died from overdoses from April 2020 to April 2021. Almost 79,000 people died from fentanyl overdoses alone in 2020.

Pres. Joe Biden's open-border policy makes it easier for fentanyl to be transported illegally into the country by immigrants from Mexico, as reported by American Greatness. Mexico, a large producer of the drug, is the main source of fentanyl entering the United States.

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